Brad Pitt, Bill Maher call out Costco on using caged hens

Pitt sent a letter to the chief executive of the big-box chain Thursday asking the company to stop selling eggs produced this way. Pitt's letter to Craig Jelinek says caged birds suffer atrophy of their muscles and bones from years of immobility, adding that the cages have been banned in California and much of Europe.

"As you know, these birds producing eggs for your shelves are crammed five or more into cages that are not large enough for even one hen to spread her wings," Pitt writes.

Maher took aim at the company in an editorial published last week by The New York Times.

"Multiple investigations into battery cages document animals with deteriorated spinal cords, some who have become paralyzed and then mummified in their cages," Maher wrote. "Imagine cramming five cats or dogs into tiny cages, hundreds of thousands in each shed, for their entire lives. That would warrant cruelty charges, of course. But when the egg industry does it to hens, it's considered business as usual."

Both commended Costco for its other animal-welfare efforts and called on the company to make good on its 2007 promise to move toward uncaging its egg-laying hens.

Pitt and Maher each spoke out on behalf of Farm Sanctuary, an organization that advocates against the mistreatment of animals and factory farming.

Costco said in June statement that there are "vigorous debates about animal welfare and laying hens."

"Some, such as the Humane Society, advocate that hens be `cage free,' and not confined in cages. Some advocate that cages are safer for hens," the statement reads.

The statement acknowledges that Costco's sales of organic/cage-free eggs have increased "more than twentyfold" over the past nine years.

The company did not elaborate, nor specifically address the celebrity complaints.

Costco said it is "committed to the ethical treatment of animals" and its code of ethics is part of the company mission statement.